Merchandise display bag



Dec. 4, 1962 w, w Y 3,066,845

MERCHANDISE DISPLAY BAG Filed Jan. 27, 1961 ATTORNEYS United Sitates Patent 3,066,845 MERCHANDISE DISPLAY BAG Morton W. Mattaway, 457 N. Oxford, St. Paul 4, Minn. Filed Jan. 27, 1961, Ser. No. 85,370 1 tClaim. (Cl. 229-55) My invention relates generally to bags and more specifically to improvements in merchandise display bags.

A primary object of my invention is the provision of a merchandise display bag which may be mass produced at a minimum of cost and which provides a maximum of vision to the prospective buyer, of the goods enclosed Within the bag.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class above described which may be securely supported from a generally horizontally disposed pin or peg on a display board even though the weight of the objects within the bag he considerable.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class immediately above described which provides means for readily spreading the plies of the bag adjacent the top to facilitate insertion and removal of articles of merchandise.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class described which is pleasing in appearance and is extremely tough and durable.

The above and still further objects of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed specification, appended claim and attached drawings.

Referring to the drawings wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of my merchandise display bag in fiat form;

FIG. 2 i an enlarged perspective view showing the spread mouth of the bag with merchandise therein; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view in section taken on the line 3-3- of FIG. 1.

Referring with greater particularity to the drawing, my novel merchandise display bag, identified in its entirety by the numeral 1, comprises front and rear walls 2 and 3 respectively, which preferably are formed from relatively tough flexible plastic sheet material such as polyethylene. In practice, the front and rear walls 2, 3 are formed from a single ply of sheet polyethylene or the like, the front wall 2 being formed by backfolding an elongated strip of this material as at 4 to form a bottom, and thereafter heat sealing the opposite longitudinal edges 5. As shown, the front wall 2 terminates below the level of the rear wall 3, as indicated at 6, the upstanding transversely elongated rectangular portion of the rear wall 3 forming a tab identified by the numeral 7.

An inverted transversely elongated cross-sectionally U- shaped reinforcing element is identified in its entirety by the numeral 8 and comprises front and rear portions or legs 9 and 10 backfolded along their upper edge as indicated at 11. The reinforcing element 8 is formed from any suitable relatively stifi sheet stock such as cardboard upon which suitable printing and advertising may be readily reproduced. As shown, the reinforcing element 8 is likewise transversely elongated, is generally rectangular in form, and has a transverse depth corresponding approximately to the depth of the tab 7 and is secured to said tab 7 adjacent the upper edge 6 of the front wall 2 by any suitable means such as staples or the like 12.

To facilitate spreading of the front and rear Walls 2,

3,066,845 Patented Dec. 4, 1962 3 respectively adjacent the open mouth 13 of the bag 1, the reinforcing element 8 terminates at its transverse edges 14 in inwardly spaced relation to the adjacent edges 5 of the tab 7. The position which the opposite side edges of the tab 7 assume during opening of the mouth 13 of the bag 1 is well shown in FIG. 2; whereas the merchandise within the bag 1 is identified by the letter X.

It will be noted that the front and rear portions 9, 10 of the reinforcing element 8 are form-ed to provide aligned apertures 15 which are centrally spaced with respect to the opposite sides 14 and downwardly spaced from the upper edge 11 thereof. The polyethylene or other suitable material from which the bag 1 is formed, while having great tensile strength and toughness, is readily puncturable and, consequently, it is not necessary initially to provide an opening in the tab 7. It suffices to state that when a pin, nail, peg or the like 16 is inserted through the aligned openings 15, that a minimum of effort i required to puncture the tab 7 interposed between the front and rear portions 9, 10 thereof, as indicated in FIG. 3.

Because of the fact that the weight, represented by the bag 1 and its contents X, is distributed along a line adjacent the lower edges 17 of the reinforcing element 8, considerable weight can be supported by the nail or peg 16 without any tendency to tear the upstanding tab 7. Furthermore, as above indicated and because of the novel arrangement of the reinforcing element 8 with respect to the tab 7, the merchandise X received and displayed within the bag 1 may be readily placed within and removed through the open mouth 13 with a minimum of effort.

My invention has been thoroughly tested and found to be completely satisfactory for the accomplishment of the above objects and while I have shown a preferred embodiment thereof, I wish it to be understood that same is capable of modification without departure from the scope and spirit of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

A normally fiat merchandise display bag formed from superimposed plies of unpleated flexible transparent sheet material which define front and rear wall and an open top, said rear wall extending above the upper edge of said front wall to define an integral transversely elongated rectangular tab, an inverted transversely elongated cross sectionally U-shaped reinforcing element formed from relatively stiff sheet stock received over said upstanding tab, said reinforcing element having a depth corresponding approximately to the depth of said tab and secured to said tab adjacent the upper edge of said front wall, said reinforcing element terminating in spaced relation to opposite side edges of said upstanding tab so as to facilitate separation of the front and rear walls adjacent said open top to permit insertion and removal of articles into said bag, the front and rear portions of said reinforcing element being provided with relatively small apertures, and said tab being formed from readily puncturable tough plastic material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,418,001 Kniep May 30, 1922 2,463,992 Moore Mar. 8, 1949 2,790,591 Rosen Apr. 30, 1957 2,920,670 Mohlmann Ian. 12, 1960 2,971,876 'Canno Feb. 14, 1961 

